By that logic, Twitter and FB should not be allowed to ban anyone, because it does not allow them to engage with the elected official on those platforms.
But bad logic tends to take you dumb places like that. Nowhere in the first amendment does it grant you the right to an audience, and blocking someone on social media does not even restrict their ability to see what you say on that social media. I don't have Twitter, but I see dozens of tweets from everyday (which is a huge failing of American journalism, but that is another story), many of which are from elected officials.
Are they legally required to note every citizen interaction?
I’d love if they focused more on protecting other methods of addressing grievances than ones that hold no power over local representatives and organizations.
elected official to citizen: Tweet @me_citizen_class your concerns, I might get to them
elected official to donor: Tweet @me_donor_class your needs and I'll get right on them.
@3: If being blocked actually stopped you from hearing what they are saying or doing, I can see a possible argument. But it doesn't. You also have no legal right to an audience. Free speech means you can go in the public square and speak your mind, it does not mean the government is obligated to force people to listen.
I can't agree with this. You have the right to voice your opinions, you do not have the right to be heard. In this case, if the State actor is using any of the communication platforms to debate or push ideas, then they indeed would be infringing on you, if you were blocked/muted. But be clear on this; you have a right to speak, you do not have a right to be heard or even listened to.
But bad logic tends to take you dumb places like that. Nowhere in the first amendment does it grant you the right to an audience, and blocking someone on social media does not even restrict their ability to see what you say on that social media. I don't have Twitter, but I see dozens of tweets from everyday (which is a huge failing of American journalism, but that is another story), many of which are from elected officials.
Are they legally required to note every citizen interaction?
I’d love if they focused more on protecting other methods of addressing grievances than ones that hold no power over local representatives and organizations.
elected official to donor: Tweet @me_donor_class your needs and I'll get right on them.
@5: Cool.